Goodwill observations

[tz101]

Has anyone besides me noticed the general lack of classic gaming knowledge of the average thrift store employee? Now, before anyone bashes me for dissing the disadvantaged, let me also state that most charity thrift store employees I see look much better off than the handicapped people shown on their ads, but also please take my comments in proper context. All I am saying is that they need to maybe put a bit more thought in their pricing and system packaging practices as it pertains to classic gaming items. All would benefit from it.

For instance: I went to a GW today and bought a pirate plug n play system called a Maxx Play 85-in-1 system. From the Chinese sweat factory, it came as two controllers, one of which plugged to your TV via RCA cables, and the other which plugged into the first controller via a 9-pin Atari 2600 type plug. Basically, the first controller contained all 85 Famicom pirate ROM's on a chip and a menu system, along with a start and reset button. The second controller looks similar to the first, except for the different cable coming out of it. There was nothing more to this "system" as in a console. The GW had these two controllers rubber banded separately and priced at $4.50 a piece, and the proprietary battery pack was over in a bin of power adapters to be sold separately. I took the two controllers up to the register along with the orphaned battery pack, and the cashier proceeded to tell me that she would have to charge me separately for each item. I explained to her that it was all one game system, and she called her manager who promptly told me that the items were for separate sale. Now, come on: Controller one with the games on chip would work fine as long as it had the battery pack inserted, but controller two? Maybe I should have left that one behind since I don't play many two-player games anymore, but how would they have ever sold it? Probably would have sat around until they finally threw it out for the trash man.

Another instance: I saw a pieced out N64 system at another GW store one day priced for the reasonable amount of $15. Here is what it contained: one N64 console and its power pack. The top hatch where the memory pack goes had been removed and some thief had stolen the RAM expansion module. After looking up and down a few aisles, I saw the remainder of this system. They had two N64 controllers listed for $3 a piece, and a SNES/N64/Gamecube AV cable in the bin for spare cords listed for $1. The memory expansion module was nowhere to be found. Come on, why not package the entire system to make it worth somebody's while?

Repeatedly, I see PS1 consoles sitting on shelves with no cords or controllers, listed for ridiculous prices like $20. Then I go down another aisle and find the controllers and cords thrown in spare parts bins for separate sale.

Does any of this make any sense?

[Guntz]

Good thing I don't have any Goodwills near me (probably because I'm in Canada).

Actually, I have a story completely opposite to yours. One time I went to a Value Village and found an N64 system by itself for $15. I figured it'd come in handy (I've needed spares on a few occasions) so I picked it up. I took it to the cashier and apparently it was part of a set of items. After a few minutes a controller (with mint control stick), AV cable and AC adapter were brought to the Cashier.

Oh yeah, the controller, AC adapter and AV cable were nowhere to be found in the rest of the store. Those must have been in the back or something.

[ooXxXoo]

Goodwill is sucking hard these days....In the words of the wise Forrest Gump, that's all I can say about that...
...

[havok666]

The only way you'll ever find something good at a Value Village or Goodwill is by constantly going there on a weekly basis. 90% of the time you won't find anything worth buying. And flea markets are even worse, you have the most retarded and ignorant people trying to argue with you that $100 is a fair price for a SEGA CD because they "looked" up the value on EBay. Oh and also all of the retro games are "teh rarez" and worth $20+ a piece regardless of condition.

[Iron Lizard]

There is a lack of classic video knowledge in just about every store I go to. All Sega games become Genesis games for example. What irritates me about Goodwill is Shopgoodwill.com. They often have great details until the shipping price is revealed. The worst is the Tacoma goodwill. They tried to charge me $30 for shipping on a SNES. They claimed it was the handling and insurance. My wife managed to get a niece piece of Hull china (relatively sought after stuff). It arrived in pieces. They went crazy with the bubble wrap but there was no air in the stuff. I just myself its all the "special people" they help running that website.

[jerry coeurl]

God forbid that the senior citizens in the employ of Goodwill not have an encyclopedic knowledge of classic video games, right? :roll:

[QuickSciFi]

I don't mind the lack of gaming knowledge in Goodwill employees. The truth is,we're only a few who wonder 'round those parts looking for gaming items. If they (or any charity thrift shop) were to know a bit more about every single item they sold, then I wouldn't have an interest in buying from charity thrift shops at all. I have gotten lucky a couple of times, but most of the times I go there there's nothing at all. But when they do have something, they won't ever price it above the actual value; and that is why I love Goodwill. I got a complete gamecube for $15 and complete Dreamcast (two controllers and a VMU) for $10. It's true you have to go there often, but even if you do, chances are you won't find anything. Once a week is good enough. The point is to frequent different sources as well.

They way they get their merchandise, I've figured, is more like the produce section at a supermarket. Perhaps even more hectic. "Shelf Life" is the only thing going through the Goodwill manager's minds. They get a truck every day or two, and they must bring-out everything and sell all they can by the next day or two. They want to shorten the shelf-life of their products as much as possible (and that means no more than a week's worth).

Also,
Goodwill Rules!

[kool kitty89]

Both goodwills near me (south San Jose and Morgan Hill) at least know how to package stuff, price tags very rarely over cart labels (and if so, usually small ones easy to peel off without damage), and systems packaged together with cables and controllers using clear packing tape, PS1s do get priced ~$15-20 though, but they seem to price things universally (PSX SNES Genesis N64 and GC were all $15 last month).

The only time consoles tend to be missing things is if people have stollen them, or more often, they were donated as is. (one of the above N64s had no AV cable, though both had 2 controllers, one with a rumble pak, and one consoel had the RAM expansion -other Jumper Pak only) The anlog sticks seeme to be in usable condition as well.

There was an Xbox in there a few months ago with no controllers or AV cable (just power) for $20, but that ended up selling anyway, so go figure.

If prices are too high to sell, like a ~27" newish sony trinitron including all important remote -to select av input for the compoite/s/ypbpr video for $90, they do have sales, and usually cut the price in 1/2 of any items there for a month or so.

And of course, we got really lucky and found 4 NIB (non player's choice) Super Mario 64 games for like $5 total, selling those on Ebay now. (though we kind of got scammed on the first we sold on ebay, some buyer convinced us to sell immediately for only $70) It seems like goodwill somehow got a bunck of boxed N64 games recently, soem were pretty bashed up though (we got lode runner 3D too), and I saw some from goodwill ebay accounts and I thing on shopgoodwill.com, all player's choice Mario 64 though iirc. (that and people not trusting goodwill apparently made them go for much less than other sales)


I don't care so much about knoledge of value (hey, that leads to better deals, assuming they don't overestimate value), but decent organization and such are more important, like haing all the games in a general area (or a couple in one case, but still easy to find), and hardware bundled properly if received as such. So far, both local stores seem to be reasonble there. (and both tend to use the "tape stuff together" method for hardware)

[bohokii]

yea i saw a playstation with a usb gamepad taped too it i cant blame them they dont know what is what

[Chris]

Earlier this year I saw a loose Atari 5200 in a Value Village in Vancouver. Sitting next to it was a complete Nintendo NES packaged in a clear plastic bag with all the hook ups, 2 controllers and the gun.
Only problem was inside the bag with the Nintendo were all the parts for the Atari 5200. The controllers, the RFswitch and the AC adapter.

[tz101]

Earlier this year I saw a loose Atari 5200 in a Value Village in Vancouver. Sitting next to it was a complete Nintendo NES packaged in a clear plastic bag with all the hook ups, 2 controllers and the gun.
Only problem was inside the bag with the Nintendo were all the parts for the Atari 5200. The controllers, the RFswitch and the AC adapter.

Simple solution for that: Rip open the bagged NES and grab the 5200 items, then take it all up to the cashier. I have done that more than once when it became necessary at a thrift store.

[omp]

Wow you guys are lucky, the only thing you will find in a thrift store over here are clothes and books.......

[Deo]

I got my Saturn at local Savers and it came with a bunch of Genesis carts, its a bit understandable since they were both have Sega logos on them and the Saturn does have a cartridge port.

[Chris]

Simple solution for that: Rip open the bagged NES and grab the 5200 items, then take it all up to the cashier. I have done that more than once when it became necessary at a thrift store.

I'd have no problem with that. The people I have a problem with are the ones who steal a Genesis cartridge and leave behind the box, or steal a Game Boy game and leave behind the manual etc.

[Mr. Ksoft]

Oh man, people taking the cart has gotten me PISSED!
Last couple times at Goodwill there's actually been stuff worth getting except for the fact that someone made off with the cartridge. Sonic 1, Sonic 3, and Toy Story come to mind. All had nice boxes and manuals but no carts. :(

[KholdStare]

"Has anyone besides me noticed the general lack of classic gaming knowledge of the average thrift store employee?" It's a Thrift Store, not Play N Trade. But I found a like new Game Gear in the carrying case complete with the AC adapter, and rechargeable battery packs along with 4 manuals and 1 being the Game Gear Manual for $17. They also had a bunch of consoles in the back in a glass case that were "NOT FOR SALE" fucking stupid but they had a Black sports Dreamcast, pissed me off.

[WarmSignal]

It's a thrift store. Is it really that big of a deal? You're getting it all dirt cheap anyway. As long as I'm not getting charged the collectors market price, I would buy the console piece by piece.

[QuickSciFi]

^I 'third' that motion. Lol. I've found a bunch of cartless boxes (w/manuals). I got them for a quarter each, but it was just sad. Why, oh why? Lol.

[tz101]

^I 'third' that motion. Lol. I've found a bunch of cartless boxes (w/manuals). I got them for a quarter each, but it was just sad. Why, oh why? Lol.

That's a deal on clamshells. Thrift stores around my area normally charge me $1 a piece even though they will just throw them in the trash anyway.:?

[Baloo]

My Goodwill trumps all then. Empty boxes and manuals in which the games were stolen are given away for free :)

[QuickSciFi]

My Goodwill trumps all then. Empty boxes and manuals in which the games were stolen are given away for free :)

As they should be. Lol. ;)

[SketchTurner94]

Lucky. All I found in my thrift store was a college football game.

None of you can beat my friend, who found a Power Base Converter for 5 cents.